TRE TORRI 2005

The TRE TORRI tournament, on its 21st edition, is by now a sporting and cultural event, but the core of the manifestation is still the competition, both single and team matches.

Every year, this event requires a lot of commitment, and we adults who believe in the values of Judo and take the responsibility of organizing the tournament (a small but important event in Italian Judo) have the duty of allowing young judokas from all over the world to meet.

To the lovers of Judo, who expect a lot from life, we must give them something important to believe in and never disappoint them.

Like every year, the competition took place at the Palasport in Porto S. Elpidio, by now a temple of Judo, during the first "Week end" of June.

Almost 300 athletes, representing 19 countries from the five continents have taken part in the event.

The competition schedule read as follows:

Friday June 3rd

female category - 48 Kg, - 63 Kg, - 78 Kg, e + 78 Kg;

male category - 60 Kg, - 66 Kg, +100 Kg.

Saturday June 4th

the remaining female categories - 52 Kg, - 57 Kg, - 70 Kg

and male categories - 73 Kg, - 81 Kg, - 90 Kg, -100 Kg.

Sunday June 5th

an off- schedule team competition took place which proved that nowadays, when Judo reigns supreme, it is possible to realize a fundamental J.Kano principle: "Ji ta kyo ei", that is to say to progress and grow together both within the "Tatami", and in everyday life.

On Sunday we have enjoyed a very high level kind of Judo, inspired by sound principles: an open match without strange tactics. We are not against tactics, which in our opinion is a misleading word, but we prefer the word "strategy" which is nearer to tradition and suitable to confrontations both within and without sporting competitions.

It may happen that a misleading interpretation of tactics as a means to pick up a few more winnings spoils a competition; but on this occasion nothing like that happened; on the contrary, everybody, referees included, have done their jobs relaxed and happy to be there. We organizers have realized that the formula chosen for the second year running at the TRE TORRI for the team competition turned out to be quite a good choice.
We are waiting for a team which represent the Italian judo take part in the competition, without creating any problem as to the result.

Making our physical and mental resources available without hesitation and sparing no pains will certainly help the least conscientious judokas to grow and, consequently, Judo, which we love so much.

We like dreaming of a world where Judo may bring about harmony rather than division.

Most unfortunate was the absence of the Cuban Team. To the last minute the Caribbean Team was expected to take part in the competition. We do not know what happened, but unfortunately our friend Ronaldo Veitia, in charge of the Cuban female "Dream Team" and Noda Justo Barreto, in charge of the male team, did not arrive in Porto Sant'Elpidio. With them, the TRE TORRI would have been marvellous. We hope our Cuban friends will take part in the 22rd edition of the tournament, on the first "week end" of June 2006.

Back to the competition, champions such as Keiji SUZUKI, Masato UCHISHIBA, Hiroshi IZUMI, Yvonne BOENISCH, Urska ZOLNIR, just to name some with more medals (from Athens '04), competed with each other without any psychological problem. In other words, Sunday contests looked more like a training session of people who love what they do (Judo), and above all who enjoy doing it. The "Judo" we are talking about has been the bonding agent that has united both young and mature people: an extraordinary instrument that, on this occasion, has singled out the best interpreters of the message of the founder J. Kano; a message of peace, a utopian message if you like, but certainly a very good one.

The results are very gratifying and they fuel the organizing machine of the TRE TORRI.

Apart from being a high level sporting event, the TRE TORRI is a great resource for the Italian, European and World Judo, but, above all, for the people who work in it, it is a good chance to come to know each other, practicing a difficult but fascinating discipline.

Individual competitions

Very good, as usual, the level of the competitors. Every edition of this tournament presents a novelty. This year's it has been the Kazakistan team.
In confirmation of how Norbert Littkopf and Frank Wieneke hold us in esteem, we had a massive participation of both German female and male athletes. It is enough to check the competition notice boards to realize how good their results were. The TRE TORRI is obviously very popular in Germany.

Canada, as usually lead by their most representative judoka Nicolas Gill as "Head Coach", has taken part in the TRE TORRI, enhancing the prestige of the most beautiful Judo tournament in Italy.
Belgium has come back in high numbers, taking part with a good team that included well-known names such as Annie Witvoet , Team Leader, member of the European Judo Union Board of Referees.

Her presence at the TRE TORRI has a very high value, because she chose our tournament to examine two Belgian referees, Thierry Clauw - Patrice Vilain, candidates for the international level B category. We thank her for her choice.

Philip Laats stando out among the coaches of male athletes. 5th at the Olympic games in Atlanta '96, he is an important name in the world of Judo, coming from a family of Judokas together with his brother Johan Laats, European champion in '97 and vice-champion of the world.

Philip Laats is a valuable judoka among the Belgian champions of international value and he presently works as a coach of the Belgian national team.

The nations most important for their Judo tradition and, above all, for the technical skill proved on the field are:

the Japanese National Team, lead by the most representative athlete, world champion at Osaka 2003 and Olympic champion at Athens 2004, Keiji SUZUKI, and the Russian Team with the most titled athlete, Islam Matsiev.

The first day of the TRE TORRI di not spare surprises for the audience: Dmitry Sergeev, back at the TRE TORRI as a coach must be proud of his men;, in the - 66 Kg category, Maxim Kuznetsov, an outsider who came second behind Islam Matsiev, surprisingly beat by articular lever Ippon (Ude hishigi Juji gatame) the Japanese Masato Uchishiba (Olympic Champion at Athens '04), who was thought to be one of the most likely finalists. Another surprise was Dmitry Sergeev, on Friday 3rd June.
Maxim Kuznetsov, thanks to an Ippon allowed to him by the referee and to a moment's inattention by the Olympic Champion, managed to face in the final his fellow-countryman Islam Matsiev, who in his turn performed splendidly.

The Japanese Masato Uchishiba will have his due back in the team competition on Sunday June 5th by beating the always dangerous Maxim Kuznetso. On that occasion, Uchishiba was determined and careful to avoid careless mistakes.

Masato Uchishiba, three times at the TRE TORRI, has then won another medal: In his first attendance in 2000 he was beaten by the cuban Manolo Poulot (world Champion at Birmingham '99), We remind you how controversial was the Cuban's winning move, and how respectfully the Japanese champion accepted the referee's verdict, which granted him the silver medal.
On his second participation in the TRE TORRI 2002, he won the gold medal after beating the French Bernard Laurent, and at the TRE TORRI 2005 the bronze medal facing our Alessandro Bruyere, who eventually came fifth.

Among the male athletes in the - 60 Kg. category, the Japanese Kazuo Yonetomi, (World University Champion) did not miss the final, where he beat the Kazakh Zhassulan Abiyev.
In the +100 kg. The Russian Maxim Bryanov, an already well known young athlete at an international level, won the gold medal beating by Ippon the German Sebastian Bahr.
In the female +78 Kg category the English Simone Callender, on her second appearance at the TRE TORRI, faced the German Katrine Beinroth.
The gold medal in this category was won by the German athlete from Norbert Littkopf's new team, while the third place is shared by Verena Birndorfer and the Slovenian Lucija Polavder.
In the - 78 kg. category an all German final, with Julia Basler prevailing over Jenny Karl.
In the - 63 kg. The Dutch Margot Wetser (European Champion under 20) was beaten in the final by the Slovenian Urska Zolnir. The Dutch fought to the finish, but Urska Zolnir (bronze medal at Athens '04) was too strong for the pretty Dutch athlete.

Finally, Julia Kristen came first in the - 48 Kg, the only category which finished on Friday June 3rd. her fellow country-woman Severine Pesch came second, while the Canadian Isabelle Latulippe and the Italian Camilla Magnolfi from G. S. Fiamme Gialle Roma, the only Italian to win a medal, shared the third place.

The finals of all categories competing on Friday June 3rd, as scheduled, took place on Saturday June 4th, at the end of all the preliminary heats.

As to the third places, prizegiving was scheduled for Friday 3rd June: In the male - 60 Kg. the bronze medals went to the Canadian Will Frazer and the Russian Alexander Bloudnine. In the - 66 Kg. to the Japanese Masato Uchishiba and the Kazakh Asset Tussupov. In the +100 kg. To the Germans Henry Hubert from Judo Verband Sachsen and Tobias Albuschies from Nordrhein- Westfalischer Judo - Verband. (Germany).

In the female category, the Canadian Marie Helene Chisolm and the German Christina Marzok in the - 63 Kg. , while in the -78 Kg we have again two German athletes: Bojana Colic and Jaqueline Scharank. The massive participation of German athletes has literally monopolized the podium in this category.

We organizers were in trouble because we did not have enough flags to hoist onto the flagpole.

In the - 78 kg. category bronze for the Slovenian Lucija Polavder and the German Verena Birndorfer.
The Italians, not very lucky, have taken part in the tournament with the best male athletes from military groups, except the winners of medals at the latest European championships.

On Saturday 5h June , the highlight of individual competitions, competed on the "Tatami of the Palasport" of Porto Sant'Elpidio the Japanese athletes: Keiji Suzuki (Olympic champion in office), Hiroshi Izumi (vice-Olympic champion), and Masahiko Takamatsu winner of the Paris Tounament 2004 and candidate for the gold medal at the coming World Championship 2005 in Cairo.
In the - 73kg. category one more success of the Japanese team with Masahiko Takamatsu, who proved to be an inch ahead of everybody else. The Japanese performed marvellously and delighted us with a kind of Judo nice to see and effective at the same time, as to beat in the final Marco Maddaloni, by a Seoi nage Ippon.

Our "Scugnizzo" is still wondering how Masahiko Takamatsu could beat him using a "Seoi nage" from the style of the famous champion "Toshihiko Koga", a technique he is quite familiar with.
But the most welcome surprise of all was to see an Italian athlete climbing again the highest step of the podium. Antonio Ciano, from the selection from Campania, by now to be considered as a permanent member of the Italian National Team, won in one of the most spectacular categories, the - 81 Kg.
The athlete from Campania beat the Japanese Eigo Nose, in a hard and exciting match, that thrilled the fans.

The final match was won on Golden Score by Kata Guruma Ippon.

Antonio Ciano, winner at the Hamburg '05 tournament and silver at the "Lido di Roma" '05 Judo World Cup, crowns such an extraordinary year for him by winning at the TRE TORRI 2005 and becoming the leading athlete in this category.
Eigo Nose proves his value by winning a prestigious Silver medal in the - 81 Kg. category, after obtaining the same result at the Tblisi 2005 (Georgia) XXXII international tournament.

The good Japanese athlete went up one more step than at the TRE TORRI 2004 where he came only third; a further stimulus for the TRE TORRI 2006.

No doubt, in spite of his being defeated by Antonio Ciano, Eigo Nose performed beautifully.

The Japanese has shown a very sophisticated Judo technique, which ranges from O uchi gari to Uchi mata. Our Italian Champion Lorenzo Bagnoli, from Fiamme Azzurre, is a witness to it. The latter did not perform well at the TRE TORRI.

In the -90 Kg category, Hiroshi Izumi wins in the final over the German Bjorn Bachmann. The Japanese is an extraordinarily good judoka, who has beaten all his opponents practising an exceptionally good Judo, as he did when facing our Stefano Sorelli, who performed in the semi-final. A steady athlete the latter, who was in this edition of the tournament not as brilliant, and perhaps less motivated, as in the past, when he obtained very good results.

Stefano Sorelli will be beaten by the Russian Khaybulaev Tagir, a skilful Judoka, who will prove his value during the team competition, on Sunday 5th June, when he will be the only Russian athlete to draw a match with the Vice-Olympic Champion Hiroshi Izumi.
In this category, it came as a surprise Alberto Borin's bronze medal, thanks to a good performance. The young man from Friuli (Fiamme Azzurre) spent some time training in Japan, an experience which has probably improved his skills.

In the most waited for category (-100 Kg.), Keiji Suzuki (World Champion Osaka 2003 Olympic champion Athens 2004), faced the Carabiniere Gianluca Giaccaglia, heir to Michele Monti. Ippon by the Japanese Champion, who resorted to all his class and came out with a formidable type of Uchi mata, which the still good Gianluca Giaccaglia could do nothing but bow down to.

In the final results of individual competitions BY NATIONS in the 21st edition of the TRE TORRI, as expected, Japan came first among male athletes and Germany among female athletes.

Russia came second, winning the - 66 Kg. category with Islam Matsiev and +100 kg. with Maxim Bryanov and a silver medal in the -66 Kg category with Maxim Kuznetsov.
The Russian team coached by Dmitry Serg. wins three bronze medals with Alexander Bloudnine (- 60 Kg), Roman Mishura (-73 Kg.) and Tagir Khaybulaev (-90 Kg.). In the third place came the team from Campania, that won a gold medal with Antonio Ciano (- 81 Kg.) and a splendid silver medal with Marco Maddaloni (- 73 kg.).

The fourth place in the final results of individual competitions by nations was won by the German selection Judo Verband Sachsen, that got a silver medal with Bjorn Bachmann - 90 Kg. and a bronze with Henry Hubert + 100 Kg.

It is to be pointed out, among the Italian athletes, the second place by Gianluca Giaccaglia (Carabinieri Roma -100 Kg), the third by Ignazio Capezzuto (Fiamme Oro in the same category) and Alberto Borin (Fiamme Azzurre -90 Kg.) in the final results of individual competitions by teams, Japan dominates in the male competition, winning six medals out of six, four of them gold (- 60 Kg. - 73 Kg. - 90 Kg. - 100 Kg.), one bronze (-66 Kg.) and one Silver (- 81 Kg.).

In the female individual competition, Germany triumphed winning three gold medals, one silver and one bronze, respectively with Yvonne Boenisch (Olympic champion 2004) in the -57 Kg, category, Julia Basler -78 Kg and Katrin Beinroth +78 (gold), Jenni Karl -78 Kg (second) and Christina Marzok -63 Kg (bronze).
In the second place, still individual competition, Canada got two silver medals with Sall Aminata - 52 Kg. Roberge Catherine - 70 Kg. and two bronze medal, one among the male athletes with Will Frazer - 60 Kg. and one female with Chisolm Marie Helene - 63 Kg.. Slovenia came third after winning a gold medal with Urska Zolnir (-63 Kg) and two bronze ones.
Other winners were the Algerian Soraya Haddad -52 Kg and the German Jana Grenzdorfer, from Hessischer Judo Verband ( -70 Kg.).